Technology In the Classroom



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Technology In the classroom!
What does this mean to you? For me it means a world of possibilities. Over the past 2.5 months I have had the delightful pleasure to participate in a technology classroom. I have always believed that technology plays a role in the way children learn but never knew about the possibilities out there. Through this class I have learned a number of tools that could be used by all children. Many individuals out there know I have a passion to work with children with special needs, I now have a wealth of information that I can use will all the children that walk through my door.
Smart Board is the buzz word in every classroom that is wanting and trying to be tech savvy. I have learned that Smart Boards are not the key to technology in the classroom. As blunt as it is Smart Boards are a white board that you can draw on. They can be finicky and picky at times but they are white boards. There is so much more to a technology rich classroom than a Smart Board.
I have learned that the tools out there are endless, Slide Rocket is the new PowerPoint, jus the other day I had a dilemma, I had an old PowerPoint and wanted to up load it to my blog with no way of connecting to my blog I discovered Slide Rocket has a built in converter. I can now upload all my PowerPoint’s to Slide Rocket and have them available to me at my finger tips at all times. Gone are the days of crashed computers rarely does the internet vanish your work. I will longer create projects in power point for the fear of not being to access when needed.
Other tools I learned that I was super excited about were Smart Ideas. Sure Microsoft has developed a chart format that you can fill in but I find it complicated, not user friendly, and you cannot move and manipulate the chart how you wish. Smart Ideas has solved every problem I have ever had with concept maps. Developing concept maps in the classroom will not be exciting and motivating.
Technology is not simple but it is not hard it is complex and unique. The possibilities are endless and I look forward to having the opportunities to explore more. Gone are the days where I obsess about learning Smart Board Technology and hear are the days of learning Slide Rocket, Audacity, E-books and most exciting Learning Objectives who know you could teach about dinosaurs and create a word wall in the shape of a dinosaur.
Four words sums it up with no explanation needed "The possibilities are endless"